Freeware wiki

[Lars]

Hi,

I wanted to start a wiki on freeware. Nothing to make money with, but I
thought it's nice to have a place where anyone can post links and
information (tips, tricks etc) on freeware and open source software,
without having to register or anything.

Don't want to appear like a spammer , since it's my own website, but
if people are interested in contributing, I'll post the link

Cheers

Lars

 

[Ross]

Hi,

I wanted to start a wiki on freeware. Nothing to make money with, but I
thought it's nice to have a place where anyone can post links and
information (tips, tricks etc) on freeware and open source software,
without having to register or anything.

Don't want to appear like a spammer , since it's my own website, but
if people are interested in contributing, I'll post the link

Cheers

Lars

There's one at http://acfwiki.pbwiki.com already. There's not much
going into it though.
Ross

 

[Lars]

Ah, didn't know that. Yes there is not much in there, but it's hard get
something like that going. I added about 100 programs, many with
screenshots, so far on my own just to have some content in there before
I start to make it more public.

Like I said, I don't intend to make money with it, it more started as a
repository for myself to quickly add information on software. There is
so much great free stuff out there, and I already lost many links

Anyways, maybe have a look at it : http://wiki.freebiewiki.org

Cheers

Lars

 

[Roger Johansson]

Anyways, maybe have a look at it : http://wiki.freebiewiki.org

Very nice freeware wiki, thanks for the effort and the entries already
entered.
I looked at the screenshot collection, very nice pictures.

I looked at the page about Quartz AudioMaster, missed a link to
homepage, but a very good description.

I like that you allow people to edit without having to log in, like in
wikipedia.

Much better than the wiki connected to pricelesswarehome, which demands
that you log in every time you try to access it even for just reading.
I have never seen the insides of that wiki. I don't like logging in

I just added a homepage link to the Quartz AudioMaster page.
Very long url, but the link works.

 

[Lars]

Thanks, Roger, glad you liked it. The description was actualy taken
from the homepage (I hope in cases like this it's ok and doesn't hurt
anyones copyright. I saw that most Freeware websites do it that way).
But I hope that people add more content to it, their tips and tricks
how to use it, what other software complements it etc. Like I said,
it's a very early stage.

I also hate to register just to comment something or add something, so
I want to keep it that way. I just added a BlackList plug in to reduce
spam and I hope that vandalism won't be too high to manage once the
wiki is more known.

Feel free to edit or add new stuff. I am personaly very interested in
Audio applications

Cheers
Lars

 

[Roger Johansson]

Thanks, Roger, glad you liked it. The description was actualy taken
from the homepage (I hope in cases like this it's ok and doesn't hurt
anyones copyright. I saw that most Freeware websites do it that way).
But I hope that people add more content to it, their tips and tricks
how to use it, what other software complements it etc. Like I said,
it's a very early stage.

I also hate to register just to comment something or add something, so
I want to keep it that way. I just added a BlackList plug in to reduce
spam and I hope that vandalism won't be too high to manage once the
wiki is more known.

It seems to work very well in wikipedia. In the beginning you will have
to keep an eye on it all by your own, but as it grows you will get help
from people who watch a bunch of pages they are interested in. In
wikipedia there are thousands of people who keep an eye on certain
pages and revert all attempts to vandalize.
Other faults are fixed by visitors who easily can edit the pages.

It would attract even more interest from helping hands if they knew
that this work will continue no matter if you can continue it.

If you agree with this principle you could keep an eye on the
possibilities to maybe zip up a branch or the whole and let people
download it if they like.
This would also allow people to run a copy locally on a computer not
connected to internet.

I have very little experience of mediawiki systems, but maybe the data
base is contained in a few files or folders, which could be zipped up
and downloaded so it can be inserted in any mediawiki system.

There no hurry with this idea, and maybe not even possible technically,
I just thought I could introduce the idea to you to think about for the
future as the wiki grows and becomes more and more valuable for
everybody who use it and add to it.

For the same reason I prefer to write in newsgroups instead of in
various web forums which can be gone in a few months or years. The
newsgroup articles will hopefully be available for the future.

I often jump into a discussion in a web forum with a short introduction
and a reference to usenet newsgroups, to make people understand that if
they want to talk to me and read my articles, and get freedom from
moderators and independence from web site owners, they should try to
usenet.

I and many others prefer to support open source or public domain
solutions which can survive independently of current owners of web
sites.

 

[Lars]

Roger, I totaly agree with you.

Continuity is a big problem. That is why I choose a wiki, where anyone
can contribute even if I am not available. I took mediawiki, because
many people already know it from wikipedia for example, so many know
how to use it. And it's open source

I could offer regulary updated downloads of the database for
example.This would ensure that somebody always can continue the
project. Technicaly skilled people would be able to transfer the whole
thing to another server or even run it localy on their computer. All
you need is a lamp or wamp (linux (windows), apache, php and mysql)
stack and then install a backup of the database and the image
directory. So this would ensure that the project can go on. You
probably could even offer a download of a wamp or lamp stack with the
database and wiki already installed, so anyone could run it without
much technical knowledge. I think there is even a portable version of
the stack out there to run it from a live cd or USB stick.

For now, one priority though is to get the ball rolling. I hope to find
a few people who are interested in the idea and can help get it going.

 

[John Jay Smith]

Lars great Idea... do you want to team up with me, since I am about to
start a site that will have freeware? I was thinking of a wiki too...

I think that a team working on something is better than someone doing it
alone...
as long as they are positive....

I have a vision.. perhaps we should talk about it on some IM...

what do you say? Send me your email on this form and I will get back to you
http://tinyurl.com/z8rab

 

[Susan Bugher]

Lars wrote:

I like that you allow people to edit without having to log in, like in
wikipedia.

Much better than the wiki connected to pricelesswarehome, which demands
that you log in every time you try to access it even for just reading.

Nope, that's not true. . . try it and see:
http://acfwiki.pbwiki.com/

I have never seen the insides of that wiki. I don't like logging in

The first ACF wiki, which didn't require a log-in to edit, was trashed
repeatedly. If there's a better way to do the ACF wiki, please expound
on it (if you're willing to offer your assistance to implement the
necessary changes).

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Lars]

Susan,

Well, with mediawiki you have the possibility to blacklist certain
words, phrases, urls, ip adresses etc. This will take care of most
spammers. There is not much you can do against vandalism though, except
letting the user log in. I personaly don't like that, I already have to
many passwords, user id's etc. In addition I am just afraid of where my
email address ends up. With your's I actualy wasn't able to log in or
register at all : I look for a program, then want to ad information.
There is no "register" button so I go to log in and it asks me for a
password that I don't have. So I would be gone by now. Only on the
homepage there is another link "login page" right under the Login
Button that would tell me how to get in (still haven't found the
password, though). But most people will only click on the bigger button
and will think the link below is redundant.

I didn't know you already maintain a wiki here or I wouldn't have
posted this here, sorry. I was checking on google before I started the
whole thing and didn't really see anything, I personaly liked. There
weren't many wikis about this topic to begin with, and they required
you to register, didn't seem to be maintained or were plastered with
advertising.

A wiki should be as easy as possible to use. If there is too much
vandalism, ok, then it's just not possible. But wikipedia has shown
that it can work fine.

Cheers

 

[Susan Bugher]

There is no "register" button so I go to log in and it asks me for a
password that I don't have. So I would be gone by now. Only on the
homepage there is another link "login page" right under the Login
Button that would tell me how to get in (still haven't found the
password, though). But most people will only click on the bigger button
and will think the link below is redundant.

The "magic word" is axEgD5hL4a (it's posted at the bottom of the daily
alt.comp.freeware information post).

I didn't know you already maintain a wiki here or I wouldn't have
posted this here, sorry.

The more the merrier. See the acf Members Sites page:
http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/acf/Members.php

"Sites are added "by request". If you participate in alt.comp.freeware
and would like to have your personal web site listed post your request
in the newsgroup."

A wiki should be as easy as possible to use. If there is too much
vandalism, ok, then it's just not possible. But wikipedia has shown
that it can work fine.

Sure, but Wikipedia is a big independant project. ACF's wiki site is
just an add-on to this newsgroup. So far ACF participants haven't shown
much interest in contributing to the wiki. FYI volunteers are always
welcome.

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)

 

[Roger Johansson]

Nope, that's not true. . . try it and see:
http://acfwiki.pbwiki.com/

Okay, it is open. If I go via this url.
If I click on a notes link in the pricelesswarehome I still come to a
login page, and that's the way I usually try to get in.

The first ACF wiki, which didn't require a log-in to edit, was trashed
repeatedly. If there's a better way to do the ACF wiki, please expound
on it (if you're willing to offer your assistance to implement the
necessary changes).

I have very little time, so that will probably not happen, but let me
emphasize that I am not trying to work against the pbwiki, I just
prefer a wiki which is run like wikipedia. Most people already know how
to handle the mediawiki system.

 

[Susan Bugher]

Susan Bugher wrote:

Okay, it is open. If I go via this url.
If I click on a notes link in the pricelesswarehome I still come to a
login page, and that's the way I usually try to get in.

That happens when there is no existing web page for the notes link you
clicked. I agree that it's a damned nuisance.

I have very little time, so that will probably not happen, but let me
emphasize that I am not trying to work against the pbwiki, I just
prefer a wiki which is run like wikipedia. Most people already know how
to handle the mediawiki system.

An open wiki is my preference too. Finding time to do something about it
is the problem. FWIW the wiki is *somewhere* on my to-do list. . .

Susan
--
Posted to alt.comp.freeware
Search alt.comp.freeware (or read it online):
http://www.google.com/advanced_group_search?q=+group:alt.comp.freeware
Pricelessware & ACF: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org
Pricelessware: http://www.pricelessware.org (not maintained)